Man charged with beheading grandmother refuses to appear in court via video link
A MAN accused of butchering a grandmother with a machete in her back garden has refused to appear via video link at the Old Bailey.
Nicholas Salvadore, 25, is alleged to have killed Palmira Silva, 82, in the garden of her home in Edmonton, north London, last Thursday.
Today he declined to appear at a first Crown Court hearing via video link from Belmarsh prison in south east London.
Top London QC Bernard Richmond, for the defence, told the court that his client "does not wish to come into the video link room even with his legal team".
Mr Richmond added: "He wants to be present in court."
Jobless Salvadore, of Gilda Avenue, Enfield, north London, is charged with murdering Mrs Silva and assaulting a police officer, Pc Bernie Hamilton.
No application was made for bail and judge Brian Barker QC remanded the defendant in custody.
Mrs Silva, who was described by neighbours as "a lovely lady" who "didn't have a bad bone in her body" moved to London from her native Italy with her husband Domenico six decades ago.
They married and had a daughter, Celestina, and a son, Rino.
Celestina, 49, described the violent nature of her mother's death as "the most horrendous thing".
She told the Daily Mail: "She knew the area was changing but she was determined to stay. It seems such a dreadful, senseless waste."